Cinderella Became a Mother!

10.12.2015

Dear our friends, colleagues and supporters!

We are excited to share with you happy news of well-known Cinderella the tigress that have become a mom this year! We received this amazing news today from Vyacheslav Rozhnov, Director of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution.

(c) Bastak Nature Reserve

We would like to remind you that a 6-month tigress was found in February 2012 in Southwest Primorye, Russian Far East. The animal was taken to the Primorskii Regional Non-commercial Organization «The Center for Rehabilitation and Reintroduction of Tigers and Other Rare Animals» (PRNCO «Tiger Center») in Alekseevka village where she received appropriate medical treatment. Cinderella underwent rehabilitation at the centre, was taught to hunt and avoid danger. In early 2013, it was decided to release the tigress back into the wild in Bastak Nature Reserve (Jewish Autonomous Province) where a male tiger named Zavetny (Cherished) roamed. Such a decision was not unanimous as some tiger experts had doubts about her ability to survive in the wild. Today we can unequivocally declare that they had unreasonable doubts because the story successfully developed! The tigress not only adapted very well in the protected area, but also gave birth to her first litter.

Cinderella with two cubs

The project has ended with wonderful results thanks to joint efforts by the specialists from the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Phoenix Fund, Inspection Tiger, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), and Bastak Nature Reserve. The project is part of a larger Amur tiger monitoring and conservation programme launched in the Russian Far East and initiated by President Vladimir Putin. We also would like to thank everyone who helped rehabilitate the tigress (all concerned Russian and foreign people and foreign organizations, namely David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, Rewilding Foundation, Amur Leopard and Tiger Alliance, and Global Giving). This project has proved that joint efforts can bring significant and incredible results.